How to build a thriving music scene in your city | Elizabeth Cawein

翻译人员: Shang Li 校对人员: Cissy Yun

Each of these songs represents a scene, a movement,

这里的每首歌都 代表一个场景、一场运动，

in some cases, a sonic revolution

某些情况下还是一次音乐革命，

that completely altered the course of popular music.

完全改变了流行音乐的演变轨道。

They're all also calling cards, almost, for those cities,

它们同时也都是这些城市的名片，

songs totally linked with their city's identity,

每一首歌都与城市的特性紧密相连，

and it might be why you probably consider them to be music cities.

这很可能就是大家称某些城市 为音乐之城的原因。

Now, the magical mythical thing, the thing we kind of all love

这个既神奇又神秘的现象使我们为之

about stories like these

痴迷的原因在于,

is that those cities weren't doing anything in particular

这些城市并没有做任何特别的努力，

to make those moments happen.

就达到了这样的效果。

There's no formula for capturing lightning in a bottle.

世上并不存在“捕捉灵感”的公式。

A formula didn't give us grunge music

公式不会带给我们油渍摇滚，

or introduce Tupac to Dr. Dre,

也没法让Dr. Dre认识Tupac，

and there's definitely no blueprint for how to open your record business

不存在任何能指导你在南孟菲斯市

in a South Memphis neighborhood

开展唱片生意的蓝图，

that, turns out, is home to Booker T. Jones,

那里正是布克 · T · 琼斯，

William Bell and Albert King.

威廉 · 贝尔和艾尔伯特 · 金的家乡。

So this is just something that happens, then, right?

那么看上去这种现象完全是 偶然发生的，对吗？

When the stars perfectly align,

若天时地利，

great music just happens.

伟大的音乐就会诞生。

And in the meantime, New York and Nashville

与此同时，纽约和 纳什维尔又大量产出

我们在收音机里常听到的曲子，

can churn out the hits that come through our radios,

define our generations

这些曲子定义了我们这一代人，

and soundtrack our weddings and our funerals

成为我们婚礼和葬礼的背景音乐，

and everything in between.

充斥着我们的人生。

Well, I don't know about you,

我不知道你们怎么看，

but the very idea of that is just deadly boring to me.

但这种看法对我来说 简直无趣至极。

There are musicians all around you, making powerful, important music,

我们身边那么多音乐家创作了 振奋人心，举足轻重的音乐，

and thanks to the internet and its limitless possibilities

同时得益于网络的无限可能性，

for creators to create music

创作人创作音乐，

and fans to discover that music,

粉丝们发现音乐，

those zeitgeist songs don't have to be handed down to us

那些代表时代精神的音乐 不需要那些在高楼大厦中

from some conference room full of songwriters

济济一堂的唱作人们 宣布发表之后

in a corporate high-rise.

我们才知道。

But also, and more importantly,

但同时，更重要的是，

we can't decide that it's just something that happens,

我们无法决定 这就是偶然发生的事情，

because music is about so much more than hits,

因为音乐的意义远不止是畅销榜单，

those big, iconic moments that change everything.

不止是那些重大的、标志性的， 改变世界的时刻。

It's more than just entertainment.

它也不止是娱乐。

For so many of us,

对于我们很多人来说，

music is truly a way to navigate life.

音乐真的可以为人生指路。

A means of self-expression, sure,

诚然，它是一种表达自我的方式，

but it also helps us find our self-worth and figure out who we are.

但它也帮我们找到了 自我价值，并认识自我。

It connects us with other people as almost nothing else can,

几乎没有其它事物能像音乐一样 把人们彼此连接起来，

across language barriers,

能够突破语言界限，

across social and cultural and economic divides.

突破社会阶层、文化隔阂、经济体制。

Music makes us smarter and healthier and happier.

音乐使我们更加聪明、健康、快乐。

Music is necessary.

音乐是必不可少的。

What if you lived in a city that believed that,

如果你所生活的城市相信这一点，

that said, "We're not waiting for that hit song to define us.

“我们不等着一首 热门歌曲来定义我们。

We're a music city because music is necessary."

我们是一个音乐之城， 因为音乐是必需的。”

By seeing music as necessary, a city can build two things:

通过将音乐看作一个必需品， 一座城市可以打造两样东西：

first, an ecosystem to support the development of professional musicians

第一，一个能够支持 职业音乐人和音乐产业发展的

and music business;

生态系统；

第二，一群颖悟的、热情的 听众来支持音乐人。

and second, a receptive and engaged audience to sustain them.

And those are the two critical elements of a music city,

这是作为音乐之城的 两个关键因素，

a city whose leaders recognize the importance of music

城市的领导者认识到音乐

for our development as individuals,

对我们的个人发展，

our connection as a community

社区凝聚力，

and our viability as a vibrant place to live.

以及一个生机勃勃的 生活环境的重要性。

See, smart cities, music cities,

众所周知，智慧之城，音乐之城，

know that thriving nightlife, a creative class, culture

懂得繁华的夜生活， 有创造力的阶层和文化

is what attracts young, talented people to cities.

会吸引有才华的年轻人 来到这个城市。

It's what brings that lightning.

灵感也随之而来。

And no, we can't predict the next egg that will hatch,

然而，我们无法预测 哪颗蛋下一个破壳，

but we can create a city that acts like an incubator.

但我们可以将城市 打造成一个孵化器。

To do that, first, we've got to know what we've got.

为此，我们首先 需要知道我们有什么。

That means identifying and quantifying our assets.

这就需要我们认清并量化资本。

我们需要对它们了如指掌，

We need to know them backward and forward,

从它们是什么，从哪儿来， 到给经济带来怎么样的影响。

from who and what and where they are to what their impact is on the economy.

Let's count our recording studios and our record labels,

我们还要算上录音棚和唱片公司，

our historic landmarks and our hard-core punk clubs.

名人古迹和硬核朋克酒吧。

We should count monthly free jazz nights and weekly folk jams,

我们每月有多少免费爵士夜， 每周有多少民乐表演，

music schools, artist development, instrument shops,

音乐学院，艺术培训机构，乐器店，

every lathe and every luthier,

每张乐器加工车床， 每一位乐器师，

music museums open year round

全年开放的音乐博物馆，

and music festivals open just one weekend a year.

一年一度的周末音乐节。

Now, ideally through this process, we'll create an actual asset map,

理想的情况下，通过这个过程， 我们会创建一个资本地图，

dropping a pin for each one,

标记每一个地方，

allowing us to see exactly what we've got

能够让我们认清现有的资源，

and where organic momentum is already happening.

并且看到一个自然而然的 发展趋势已经开始形成。

Because it's not enough to paint in broad strokes here.

因为我们不可以一带而过。

When it comes to specific support for music locally

当谈起对本地音乐的具体支持

and a broad understanding of a music brand nationally,

和对全国性音乐品牌的广泛认知时，

you've got to have the receipts.

你必须要有收支模式。

Next, we'll need to identify our challenges.

接下来，我们需要识别面临的挑战。

Now, it's important to know that, for the most part,

在多数情况下， 我们需要认清的是

this won't be just the opposite of step one.

这并非叫我们反向重复第一步，

We won't gain a whole lot

若仅仅考虑我们的地图里

by simply thinking about what's missing from our map.

缺了什么，得到的 信息是十分有限的。

Instead, we need to approach this more holistically.

相反，我们需要一个更全面的途径。

There are lots of music venues on our map.

在地图上有很多音乐场馆。

Awesome.

这很棒。

But are they struggling?

但它们运营得艰难吗？

Do we have a venue ladder,

我们是否有一个场馆阶梯，

which just means, can an artist starting out at a coffee house open mic

也就是说，一个在 咖啡厅驻唱的音乐人

see a clear path for how they'll grow

可以看到从在一个 25座的咖啡店表演，

from that 25-seat room to a hundred-seat room and so on?

到在一个上百座的房间中登台的 清晰的成长空间吗？

Or are we expecting them to go from a coffeehouse to a coliseum?

又或者我们期待他们从咖啡店 直接发展到能在体育馆开演唱会？

Maybe our challenges lie in city infrastructure:

也许我们的挑战在于 城市的基础设施：

public transportation, affordable housing.

公共交通，可负担的住房。

Maybe, like in London,

可能吧，比如在伦敦，

where the number of music venues went from 400 in 2010

2010年，有大约400个音乐场所，

to 100 in 2015,

到2015年仅剩了100个，

we need to think about protections against gentrification.

我们需要思考对抗 社区高档化的措施。

The mayor of London, in December of last year,

去年12月，伦敦市市长

actually added something called the "Agent of Change" principle

将一个叫做“变革推动者”的准则

to the city's comprehensive plan.

加入了城市的综合发展计划。

And the name says it all.

顾名思义，

If a real-estate developer wants to build condos

如果房地产商想在

next to an existing music venue,

一个音乐场所旁兴建住房，

the developer is the agent of change.

房地产商就是变革推动者。

They have to take the necessary steps for noise mitigation.

他们需要采取必要的 措施来减轻噪音。

Next, and this is a very big one,

下一步，也是非常重要的一点，

we need leadership, and we need a strategy.

我们需要领导力，也需要策略。

Now we know there's a lot of magic in this mix:

我们还需要一点魔力：

a lot of right people, right place, right time.

天时、地利、人和。

And that will never stop being an important element

在音乐的制作中，

of the way music is made,

这些永远都是必不可少的，

the way some of the best, most enduring music is made.

一些最好的音乐作品 就是这样诞生的。

But there cannot be a leadership vacuum.

但是不能缺少领导力的支持。

In 2018, thriving music cities don't often happen

2018年，充满朝气的 音乐城市虽不常见，

and don't have to happen accidentally.

但也不会偶然的出现。

We need elected officials who recognize the power of music

我们需要当选的政客来 认识到音乐的力量

and elevate the voices of creatives,

并提升具有创造力的声音，

and they're ready to put a strategy in place.

他们已经开展了一项策略。

In music cities, from Berlin to Paris to Bogotá,

在音乐城市里，无论是 柏林，巴黎，还是波哥大，

music advisory councils

音乐顾问委员会

ensure that musicians have a seat at the table.

应保证音乐人在其中 占有一席之地。

They're volunteer councils,

他们是义务委员会，

and they work directly with a designated advocate

与市政厅的指定倡导者

inside of city hall or even the chamber of commerce.

或商业委员会一起工作。

The strongest strategies will build music community supports like this one inward

最强战略是对内支持音乐群体，

while also exporting music outward.

同时也向外输出音乐。

They go hand in hand.

二者缺一不可。

When we look inward, we create that place that musicians want to live.

向内部看，我们开辟了 一片音乐人的乐土。

And when we look outward,

向外部看，

we build opportunities for them to advance their career

我们为其开创了事业发展的机会，

while also driving attention back to our city

同时也提升了城市的知名度，

and leveraging music as a talent-attraction tool.

并且用音乐来吸引人才。

And here's something else that will help with that:

还有一点可以帮助我们：

we've got to figure out who we are.

我们需要搞清楚我们是谁。

Now, when I say Austin,

当我提起奥斯汀市，

you probably think "live music capital."

你可能会想到“现场音乐之都”。

And why?

为什么？

Because in 1991, leadership in Austin saw something percolating

因为在1991年，奥斯汀的领袖们 通过城市已有的资本，

with an existing asset, and they chose to own it.

看到了些渗透性的东西。

通过认识到市场动力， 指出并拥有它，

By recognizing that momentum, naming it and claiming it,

they inevitably caused more live music venues to open,

毫无疑问，一个又一个 现场音乐场馆诞生了，

existing spaces to add live music to their repertoire,

已存在的场馆将现场音乐 加入它们的节目单中，

and they created a swell of civic buy-in around the idea,

围绕这个想法，他们 获得了大众的支持，

which meant that it wasn't just a slogan in some tourism pamphlet.

意味着这已经不仅仅是 印在旅游宣传册里的口号，

It was something that locals really started to believe and take pride in.

而是当地人真正开始相信 并为之自豪的东西。

Now, generally speaking, what Austin created

整体来讲，奥斯汀所创造的

is just an assets-based narrative.

是围绕资产的故事。

And when we think back to step one,

当我们回想第一步，

we know that every city will not tick every box.

我们知道每一个城市不可能 完全符合所有条件。

Many cities won't have recording studios like Memphis

很多城市并不像孟菲斯 那样有很多录音棚，

or a songwriter and publishing scene like Nashville,

或者像纳什维尔一样 有许多作曲人和发行商,

and that's not a dealbreaker.

但这都不是绝对因素。

We simply have to find the momentum happening in our city.

我们只是需要去 感受我们城市的动态。

What are our unique assets in comparison to no other place?

与其他地方相比， 我们独特的财富是什么？

So, if all of that sounds like something you'd like to happen where you live,

如果所有这一切听起来都是 你想在身边看到的场景，

here are three things you can do to move the needle.

那么你可以从三件小事做起：

First, you can use your feet, your ears and your dollars.

首先，你可以带上 你的双脚，耳朵和钱包

Show up. Be that receptive and engaged audience

去看演出，当那名热情投入的观众，

that is so necessary for a music city to thrive.

这是音乐城市蓬勃发展的关键。

Pay a cover charge.

付点服务费，

Buy a record.

买张唱片。

Discover new music, and please, take your friends.

与朋友一起发现新的音乐。

Two, you can use your voice.

第二，你可以利用你的声音。

Buy into the assets-based narrative.

为这些基于资产的故事买单。

Talk about and celebrate what your city has.

谈论并且庆祝你城市的资产。

And three, you can use your vote.

第三，你可以将你的选票

Seek out leadership that doesn't just pay lip service to your city's music,

投给那些不只是空谈城市音乐，

but recognizes its power

而是能真正认识到它的力量，

and is prepared to put a strategy in place

并准备好推行相关政策，

to elevate it, grow it and build collaboration.

去提升音乐，让它成长， 建立合作伙伴关系的政治家。

There really is no telling what city could be defined

在接下来的10年里，

by a certain scene or a certain song in the next decade,

我们不知道哪一所城市 会被一个场景或一首歌定义，

but as much as we absolutely cannot predict that,

但尽管我们无法预测，

what we absolutely can predict

可以确定的是，

is what happens when we treat music as necessary

当我们将音乐看作是必需品，

and we work to build a music city.

并努力打造音乐城市时会发生什么。

那正是我想生活的地方。

And that is a place where I want to live.

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Applause)

（掌声）